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| Technology for Education |
Being an educator today is very exciting. It is 2011. We have rolled over to a new year and there are so many educational opportunities on the horizon. Today's technological advances are as monumental as the world-changing inventions of paper or the printing press. Information is dispensed at increasingly rapid speeds.
However, the speed and methods we use to absorb information has not changed, but our access to it and the ways that we interact with that information has changed greatly.
As human beings, we continue to process information the same way that we always have- through our 5 senses. For education, we usually rely upon our eyes, ears and sense of touch. If you own a smartphone or mobile device (especially an iPad), you hold an incredible educational tool in your hands. Why, you ask? Because it is interactive and multi-sensory.
How is an iPad deifferent from a computer, is another question you may be asking? Here are my top 5 reasons why an iPad is superior to a regular computer and even textbooks when it comes to learning.
1. No mouse! As quickly as we all pick up the concept of a mouse moving a cursor on a screen, it is still an extra step for the information to travel from the brain to the device and vice-versa. When a child uses his finger to manipulate information or draw in a letter or shape, there is no extra step of the mouse to get in the way.
2. No cords! You can take a iPhone or an iPad with you anywhere. In fact, that's the whole point-technology on the go. You can learn from anywhere-not just a school desk or a kitchen table.
3. No books! Now, I love books and have thousands of them , but you can learn everything from Spanish to math to grammar to handwriting, all from one single device without having to lug around an armful or backpack full of books.
4. Less waiting! Installation of an app is much quicker than installing software onto a computer.
5. Less expense! Frankly, I think that apps are too cheap, but why not take advantage of it while this is the trend. Take foreign language for example... You can buy a textbook for $50 or more, or computer software for upwards of $200 or more, to help your child learn a new language. Or you can buy an app for $4.99. This is simply amazing technology at ridiculously low prices.
How Can Technology Improve Education?
Advances in technology have allowed teachers to move beyond traditional methods of education, which primarily rely on the use of text-books and verbal instruction. At one time, a student's only exposure to technology was found in a basic computer class. Now, technology has enable the creation of various teaching and learning tools that can "Demonstrate concepts, assign projects, and assess progress."
The drawback with incorporating technology into, education, though, is desitation by U.S. schools to utilize new educational tools and methods. Other nations around the world are looking for ways to integrate technology and education, while we are still questioning whether this merge should take place at all.
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| Technology for Education |
1. Improved simulation and models can assist teachers in demonstrating difficult concepts and specifically help students that are visual learners.
2. Global learning exposes students to other cultures and puts them in touch with other people around the world.
3. Virtual manipulatives allow students to experiment with unfamiliar concepts and ideas.
4. Probes and sensors allow students to collect data, compute statistics, and analyze results quickly and efficiently .
5. A more efficient assessment of student progress can be made and monitored with new forms of technology.
6. Storytelling and multimedia encourage teamwork and excites students.
7. E-Books create a level of ease, convenience and visualiyation that isn't available with standard print textbooks.
8. Epistemic games put students in real-world situations and train yhem to use innovative thinking.